ADIT

Morocco
Intelligence-economy giant Adit poised to gain access to Choiseul Associates's contacts

Represented in Morocco since 2024 by its director Doha Lkasmi, Next Step Influence, French firm Adit's strategic influence agency, is expected shortly to be able to draw on Choiseul's well‑established networks in the country.

Benin
Private security firm Irena gets down to business in Cotonou

Executives Vincent Jacquemart and Romain Bordenave hope to win over Beninese security officials with their maritime security solutions, just weeks after landing their first contract with the EU delegation in the country.

Morocco
Lobbyist Omar Alaoui leaves French firm Next Step Influence

Very active on the Paris-Rabat front, Salaheddine Mezouar's former right-hand man at the Moroccan employers' body, CGEM, internally announced his departure from Next Step Influence, a move to devote himself to new projects.

Morocco
New business council with UK reels in prominent stakeholders

Moroccan and British entrepreneurs are facilitating trade thanks to the creation of a council that already includes several leading business figures from both countries.

Senegal
French contractor slated to manage army's new European funds

The Économat des Armées, part of the French armed forces ministry, is preparing to distribute €10m in European subsidies to equip Senegalese forces.

Somalia
French security firm Amarante off to a rough start

Six months after beginning its mission to protect a European Union programme in Somalia, the private outfit has had to review some of its contracts there, provoking a backlash from several consultants.

Benin
Army poised to procure second reconnaissance aircraft

French company Défense Conseil International delivered a first aircraft to Cotonou within the EU military cooperation framework in March. After the signing of a direct contract, it is to deliver another plane to the Beninese military by August.

Ivory Coast
Brussels strengthens support for the army in the north

Expertise France, which is managing €10m in EU funds for Abidjan, is coordinating the construction of military infrastructure and the delivery of armoured vehicles for the Ivorian army in the north of the country.

Chad, Mauritania
EU to supply drones to N'Djamena and Nouakchott

Expertise France has launched a tender call to supply two surveillance drone systems to Chad and another to Mauritania.

The New Guard
Morocco, Zimbabwe, Kenya

Every Wednesday, Africa Intelligence spotlights a new generation of movers and shakers in business and politics.

MoroccoDoha Lkasmi, standard-bearer for business diplomacy

ZimbabweLaziel Muchemwa, cycling ambassador in Cape Town

KenyaAustine Onyango Gerald, promoting young people in politics

Benin
EU readies further €35m in military aid for Cotonou

Brussels is poised to offer fresh financial help to the Beninese army in its combat against terrorism, having already released funds last year.

Senegal
Changes at the top of security firm Teranga

The Senegalese company is about to lose two of its board members.

Africa
From Abuja to Djibouti, the African ambitions of Sofema's new bosses

Sofema, a French company specialising in the sale of reconditioned military equipment, plans to expand its African presence in the coming months. The new strategy has been set out by its new director-shareholders Christian Kamara and Frédéric Tisserand.

Ivory Coast
France's DCI to manage €15m European military aid fund

The European Union has appointed the French operator Défense Conseil International to lead a military assistance mission to strengthen the air and ground capabilities of the Ivorian army on the country's northern border.

Niger
Arise stymied by change of regime in Niamey

Gagan Gupta's Arise group was on the point of signing a major contract with the government of Mohamed Bazoum for the construction of a special economic zone, but the arrival of the junta has upset its plans.

Somalia
Private security heavyweights vie for EUCAP contract

American, British and French firms are battling it out to win the EU call for tenders to train the police. It is one of Somalia's largest private security contracts.

Senegal
Dakar working on organisation of 2023 Peace Forum

The 9th edition of the Dakar International Forum on Peace and Security in Africa, scheduled for 27 November, is set to take a different format this year.